


Coming Home

by thisaintmacys



Category: The Walking Dead & Related Fandoms, The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Beth Greene Lives, Beth Lives, F/M, Gunshot Wounds, Mentions of Injuries, Slow Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-06
Updated: 2018-04-06
Packaged: 2019-04-19 04:01:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14228805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thisaintmacys/pseuds/thisaintmacys
Summary: "I'm coming home, I'm coming home. Tell the world I'm coming home; let the rain wash away all the pain of yesterday. I know my kingdom awaits and they've forgiven my mistakes. I'm coming home, I'm coming home. Tell the world I'm coming home."Beth Greene has been found by Aaron Raleigh, she's alive but barely able to function, and with having to be kept secret - how will the group react when they find out she's been there with them nearly the entire time?





	Coming Home

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by a fanvid I saw on Youtube. I know there's probably a billion fics like this for #teamdelusional / #teamdefiance but come on. Will one more hurt? Enjoy, this takes place in season 5B onward. I may extend the story into more chapters if you all are interested. Let me know!
> 
> Also for those of you naysayers or haters please read this: http://www.espn.com/espn/otl/news/story?id=4069745 yes, a bullet to the brain - three, actually - can be survivable for the right person. Beth, in this case, is the right person and her story is also partially inspired by that article. Warning, it talks about Columbine and Patrick Ireland's injuries (graphic content that isn't fictional).

The golden white hue of light shining down into Beth Greene’s ocean eyes made her wince in agony. Her body tensed up as she forced her eyes shut, coughing out the dirt that was still in her mouth from being wrapped in a sweltering hot black tarp. She wasn’t even properly buried; with the rain falling down, the group couldn’t bury her body and Tyreese’s, and yet by some miracle - that was the right thing to do. Beth forced herself to sit up, she was weak but still had enough energy and strength to tie a piece of cloth around the wound on the back of her skull, to protect it from possible infection or worse. Once her eyes adjusted to the light, she got up, and immediately noticed she didn’t have anything on her to protect herself. “Damn it.” She muttered under her breath. 

The last thing Beth remembered was hitting the cold floor at Grady, she wasn’t fatally wounded, just in shock from the bullet passing directly through her skull. After that, everything faded to black, and all she could do was rely on what Daryl taught her. On her own, Beth made way for the trail of muddy footprints, following those that looked like the bottom of Maggie and Daryl’s boots, as she walked into the forest. 

“I have to get back to them.” She spoke, thinking she was alone only to grab the attention of someone nearby, an average height pale white man wearing a blue hoodie that quickly approached. Forcing her eyes to focus, Beth could see he was no harm as he held both hands up to show her he was peaceful, and not trying to be a threat. Beth leaned against the tree next to her, feeling pain shoot down her spine as she cried out, the curly haired man’s face fell as he watched her suffer in agony while noticing the bleeding from her skull. 

Once she slumped down to the ground, the young man got closer and eventually placed Beth’s arm around his shoulders, as he used all his strength to lift her up. “My name is Aaron; I’m from a place called Alexandria,” Aaron greeted Beth, her eyes shifted to look at him and though it hurt she managed to look at the stranger. She was a decent judge of character, she could tell he was not going to hurt her and so they walked together until he stopped where he left some water for any passers by near his car, which was hidden just feet away. Grabbing two bottles, he opened one while Beth sat down again next to the crate, and she allowed him to pour a drink into her mouth.

“I’m Beth Greene, I’ve been shot and I need to get to my group. Rick is the leader,” Beth replied, breathing heavily as she took the bottle to drink more water. Aaron grabbed two more and stuffed them into his pockets before picking Beth up once again to help her get to his car.

“Yes I know them and I’ll get you to them as soon as I can. They’re with my people back in Alexandria. How long have you been out here?” Aaron replied, wondering what she would say.

“I don’t know; I just need to get some help, Aaron.” Beth mumbled, she was growing tired again and just as Aaron got her into the car, she collapsed against the passenger seat. However, she was still breathing, which was a good sign. Immediately, he sped off along the winding roads and found himself at the gates sooner than he thought. Two hours later, he arrived, and got Beth out of car - ordering for the gates to be opened and Abraham climbed down to help carry Beth to Denise’s medical office.

Denise opened her door to see the young woman being carried in, her head was starting to bleed even more, and her breathing was shallow. “Aaron, stay here, I’m going to need all the help I can get from you. Was she conscious before you found her? Talking, anything?” Denise questioned, Aaron nodded as they put Beth down onto the one operating table inside the room.

“Yeah, she asked about Rick, Daryl and Maggie. I think she knows them; the new people that just arrived.” Aaron stated, Denise responded by picking up the pace and grabbing some gauze to sterilize the wound once the cloth on Beth’s head was removed. 

“We don’t have time to waste, grab some supplies and my surgical manual and find the cranial section!” Denise ordered, Aaron grabbed the supplies that were needed and began to flip through the book. Beth was lying on that table for two hours, passed out from both trauma to her brain and exhaustion, possibly even shock. As she remained inside the clinic in one of the free beds, she slept peacefully, while being monitored carefully by those doing shifts inside the clinic to help Denise with her work. 

All that was left was to wait and keep her a secret from everyone except Deanna. 


End file.
